My wifes ex is a maniac and has reported me to child services for suspected child abuse to their 12 year old son. I did give him a spanking, but nothing close to child abuse (cause the kind of woopins' I took as a kid would be called child abuse). So the whole families had to talk to the CPS worker and this morning the cops show up at my doorstep to take a statement from me. I think there's more going on than just routine fact finding.
Nowadays the PC view - adopted by CPS and the Courts - is that no hitting is allowed. Period. Ever. Especially not by a step-parent. Yes times have changed very much (most of us over 45 grew up in households where spankings were common) but that does not matter. Decline to give any further statements w/o having your lawyer present. CPS also may take steps against your wife, such as try to change custody to her ex or require supervised visitation and counselling.
Thanks Mike (eom)
I had that happen to me, and CPS held I was reasonable to swat the little brat after she'd hit me repeatedly over the head with a book - even where it resulted in the mom assaulting me.
You gotta be VERY circumspect, and have criminal and family counsel.
Whatever you said to the cops is now part of the record.
First, let me emphatically say that I'm not a lawyer, and what I say below could be completely wrong and useless.
Anyway, a vaguely similar thing happend to a neighbor of mine. A teacher's aid overheard something that could possibly be child abuse. So she reported it.
Once the report was filed, the CPS folks and the police were required to get involved, take statements, bring out the "where does daddy touch you" doll and the whole nine yards.
If they miss a case of child abuse, there's hell to pay (not to mention a massive settlement). So they basically investigate damn near anything, regardless of severity or trustworthiness of the report.
-- Modified on 8/25/2006 1:38:46 AM